Question about grit

[Sinful chick]

No problem. I was asking those exact same questions a year ago. Chicken owners on this site are happy to help the newbies.

I know I’m probably butting in, but, since I’m still wet behind the ears here, how to I get there from here...I am still at a loss for the grit “thing”. We had chickens when I was a kid, and I don’t remember any special treatment......we let them out for the day...that was that.??? (I feel so stupid...)

 

[nekker57]

I know I’m probably butting in, but, since I’m still wet behind the ears here, how to I get there from here...I am still at a loss for the grit “thing”. We had chickens when I was a kid, and I don’t remember any special treatment......we let them out for the day...that was that.??? (I feel so stupid...)

When you let your chickens out during the day they find grit on their own when they need it.

 

[Dayrel]

When you let your chickens out during the day they find grit on their own when they need it.

Yup. Grit is just small, hard rocks. Free range chickens in most environments should be able to pick it up off the ground. Those that are restricted to a coop and smallish run all or most of the time need the extra access. In any case, grit is inexpensive and making it available doesn't hurt anything. They'll only peck at it if they want to.

This artificial replacement of natural grit also explains why we have multiple sized grits for chicks vs. adults. In the outdoors, the birds can peck at whatever sized rock appeals to them. The chicks would mostly take in smaller particles, while larger birds would take in more pebble-sized bits.

 

[Trellinius]

Yup. Grit is just small, hard rocks. Free range chickens in most environments should be able to pick it up off the ground. Those that are restricted to a coop and smallish run all or most of the time need the extra access. In any case, grit is inexpensive and making it available doesn't hurt anything. They'll only peck at it if they want to.

This artificial replacement of natural grit also explains why we have multiple sized grits for chicks vs. adults. In the outdoors, the birds can peck at whatever sized rock appeals to them. The chicks would mostly take in smaller particles, while larger birds would take in more pebble-sized bits.

Yeah . . . I saw an article the other day relating chickens to the T-Rex. Now I'm reading about grit. Then it struck me! Here in the Ozarks we have "grit" for the T-Rex! My nine acres is strewn with rocks the size of softballs!

 

[Dayrel]

Here is another way to think about it. Most of us have heard the saying "Rare as hen's teeth". That is because chickens simply don't have teeth at all. Their beak is good for grabbing (bugs/grain/worms) and tearing (fruit/veggies/grass) at food, but you won't see them grinding up food with their beak like we chew food to help break it down.

Their "teeth" are actually internal, in their gizzard. If they only ate manufactured crumbles/pellets which dissolve in water, then the gizzard could "gum" the food and they would be fine. If they eat almost anything else, then the gizzards grinds the rocks and food together to break it down into smaller bits for better digestion.

Jungle fowl (the wild, pre-domesticated chicken) were able to find grit in their environment and certainly didn't need humans to provide it. Since backyard chicken owners often keep chickens in controlled/restricted environments, we have to be concerned about possible problems created by those restrictions and access to grit is one of them.

 

[Dayrel]

Yeah . . . I saw an article the other day relating chickens to the T-Rex. Now I'm reading about grit. Then it struck me! Here in the Ozarks we have "grit" for the T-Rex! My nine acres is strewn with rocks the size of softballs!

Heh. Don't think your chickens will be consuming many of those, but if they free range, they'll certainly be picking up lots of smaller bits.

 

[ChickChickHorray]

I just put a small water or milk cap in the brooder with chick grit in it, if they eat it fine, if not fine but I also don't feed treats to the babies, my big girls get a couple mealworms as part of our bed time routine. Learned alot from the first batch, they tipped, dumped and pooped in everything.

We have seven chicks in the brooder, is a capful enough for them all or do you think they should have more? Thanks!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Hello all! Newbie chicken keeper here. Our chicks are going on three weeks old, they’re living indoors in the brooder and are on the starter feed. The guy at our feed store said that at three weeks, they’re still too young for grit and that their breaks aren’t strong enough to handle it.....

I highly recommend that you visit this feed store guy's chicken farm and see for your self. I have heard some ignorant things and this is in the top 1%. I feed chick size grit the moment that I put the peeps out with the hen or into the brooding pen. The little day old peeps go absolutely bonkers picking the grit off of a clean piece of cardboard. Then the chicks are ready to eat chicken food. I have actually sat for hours and watched a chick trying to choke down a whole single kernel of yellow corn. The chick got it down too. This chick was less than a week old and was non the worse for wear.

 

[Sinful chick]

When you let your chickens out during the day they find grit on their own when they need it.

Thanks! I was worrying for no reason!

 

[Taylorbrood]

We have seven chicks in the brooder, is a capful enough for them all or do you think they should have more? Thanks!

you can fill it as needed, first group got grit, second group got a capful and the current batch are 3 weeks and I have not given them any grit yet.